Tuesday, January 15, 2013

2013

I'm usually not into New Year's Resolutions. Mostly because they never get done. Twice in my life, I have made resolutions and kept them. And it was the same resolution- to not drink cokes for a certain amount of time. My senior year of high school, I didn't drink cokes from New Year's until graduation. Then the next year, I didn't drink cokes from New Year's until I went on a trip to the Amazon in August. Both of them= accomplished. Did it impact my life much? Nah.

Last year, I started a blog post about how I don't like New Year's resolutions, but I didn't finish the post. It ended up somewhere in the land of half done, much like resolutions do!! Irony much?!

This year is a little different. The past year has challenged me a lot. In fact, I don't remember much of it, as I think I have just blocked it all out. Having children 18 months apart is challenging in the beginning. Balancing a newborn and a strong willed toddler can be quite trying, to say the least. And then add post-partum hormones and anxiety, and you've got a recipe for disaster.

As Kinsley has gotten older, things have gotten so much better, but I decided there had to be a change. I still have moments of anxiety but when I take a step back and look at things, it's simple really. We are always going and doing. I am staying up late to do more things and the wake up call from my cute little redhead comes early. We eat terrible foods. A lot of Chick-Fil-A. A lot of Starbucks, Dr. Pepper, and sweet tea. I am always cleaning and picking up the house. It seems that no matter how much I clean, there is always stuff everywhere!

There seems to be one solution to my problems and it is this:
Simplicity.

More time at home. More sleep. More tickles and giggles with the kids. Less stuff. Less toxins. Less, less, less.
More of the good. Less of the bad.

I wouldn't have to pick stuff up all the time if we didn't have so much STUFF.
I wouldn't be anxious about getting everyone together and to [wherever] on time if we just stayed home and didn't go so much.
I would feel a heck of a lot better if I put good things into my body instead of a bunch of chemicals and additives that taste great on the tastebuds but do nothing else for me except make me feel bloated and yucky.

Instead of a resolution, this year I came up with a motto.
"Health and Home: Keeping it clean in 2013"

I am trying to transition us to mostly clean eating. Less processed foods and more whole, natural, organic foods. [Don't you worry, I am NOT giving up chips and salsa, or Chick-fil-a. It's all about moderation, people!!] I am planning to make more things at home. I told my husband and bro-in-law that I'm going to make homemade ketchup and ranch dressing and they just gave me weird looks and said, "ok...." I have a feeling I'll be getting a lot of reactions like that. :)

I'm going to simplify my home. I'm going to get rid of A LOT of things. The kids don't need a ton of toys. I don't need a pile of papers on my counter at all times. I don't need to buy more and more and more.

It's not that I'm never going to leave my house. The kids and I would go insane. But I'm going to prioritize. I'm going to focus on my first and highest calling- and that is to be a wife and a mom. I think we will all benefit from this.

And I think this is a New Year's "resolution" that is going to make a difference.

About Me

My middle name is Joye and I've always felt like it is my calling in life to be joyful- in all circumstances. It's not always easy and I'm not always successful in being joyful. However, I'm finding that true joy is found in the simple things in life. In my pursuit of simplicity, I'm finding joy. Simple Joye.